Thursday, August 24, 2017

The timing was funny, because I'd just placed three separate Re-ment orders the day before. Two of those orders arrived this week, and I am delighted with my new additions.

Like Nichelle, I try to limit my Re-ment purchases to things I can use in my 1:9 scale hobby world. For example, this hose will be perfect for a wash stall...

and every tack room needs a first aid kit.

These items could go in the stable office or a 1:9 scale model horse collector's hobby room. Additionally, the boom box would fit nicely into a musical stalls entry.

I bought the tennis set specifically for the shoes, but the other items are also useful. The tennis racket could find its way into a games class, the dogs will play with the tennis balls and Jose wanted a new visor.

Last but not least, I restocked the stable's liquor cabinet.

This was mostly for Jose's benefit.

I just love all the little things, and I can't wait for box number three!

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

A couple weeks before we left for Kentucky, Tiffany, Erin, Sandra and I were discussing our BreyerFest wish lists. I said that I would like to buy a Cary Nelson costume and a Bill Duncan sleigh. Tiffany told me that she had both of those things in her sales pile.

When I found one, I couldn't help but notice that the sleigh came with a Meika dog.

So I asked if she was included.

To my surprise, Tiffany said yes.

She delivered everything to me at BreyerFest. The sleigh is absolutely gorgeous, but the dog... She is beyond adorable.

I was so happy to have another Purdypuppy in my collection, but sadly, that joy was short-lived. Tiffany borrowed Mieka for one of her entries in the BreyerFestOpen Show. Then, she was "accidentally" packed up with the rest of Tiffany's tack and props. I hope I get to reclaim her someday, but for now, she's living in Illinois.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Our dresser was falling apart, so Seth found us a better one in the free listings on Craigslist. As I was transferring clothes from the old to the not-as-old, I found a Mini Whinny, two Rio Rondo buckles, a Carol Herden business card and one dressage girth lurking at the bottom of my sock drawer.

I have no idea how these things got there, and although I don't remember it, I bet there was at least one day, probably a decade ago, when I tore about my hobby space looking for that girth.

Monday, August 21, 2017

In the almost nine (!) years I've been writing this blog, I've fielded countless requests for a tutorial on English saddle panels. Because of this, I was really excited when Australian tack maker, Bronwyn Ahyong of Infiniti Custom Studios posted the following how to on her Facebook page. This isn't the exact process I use, but it's pretty darn close. Thank you so much, Bronwyn, for taking the time to write this up. I know you've made a lot of people really happy!

English Saddle Panel Tutorial

by Bronwyn Ahyong

What you'll need:- Thin leather (skiver works well)- Your pattern - Glue- Thickish leather (.7-1.1mm) this will be covered it can be scrap leather- Hobby knife

The first step is to trace the pattern onto the flesh side of the thickish leather and cut it out.

Then, spread glue all over the grain side of the cut pieces and place them firmly onto the flesh side of the leather. Allow the glue to dry, then cut out the pieces. The panels are now two layers thick.

Next, spread glue on the wider part of the panels and glue them back to the uncut leather.

Repeat this step two to four times.

Use a craft knife and sandpaper to sand down and carve the panel until it is rounded on the outer edge.

I also taper the mid section for a smoother transition between the two layer and four layer sides.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

In the title of yesterday's guest post, guest blogger, Lauren Mauldin asked, Does Matching Tack Mimic the Real Showing World? Her answer, at least in regards to USEF hunters and jumpers, was not so much.She's right about that. The modern, American, big A hunter/jumper world has a really specific aesthetic that does not include matching the rider's clothes to her bell boots, saddle pads, breastplate elastic, stirrups and ear bonnet. That pretty much never happens in real life.It does happen at model horse shows, however, and I see nothing wrong with that. This seems obvious, but it still needs to be said: Model horse shows aren't the same as real horse shows.As a performance shower and judge, I think it's important that we differentiate between rules and trends. Rules are absolutes. Both real horses and model horses are required to follow them or face elimination. Trends are arbitrary, temporary and, to my mind, optional. Pretty much everything Lauren talked about yesterday falls into the trend category.Don't get me wrong. I am all about slavish attention to detail. I love knowing what's in currently in fashion, and I applaud anyone who wants to meticulously recreate a specific real world look. Lauren's article provides a perfect blueprint for that in regards to today's big-time hunters and jumpers. That said, I don't think this is a necessary goal, especially for the average model horse shower. Remember, it's a performance class, not a tack and turnout class. The emphasis should be on what the horse is doing, not what it's wearing. Perfect, trendy details are meaningless if the rest of the entry is sub par.Also, in the same way that model horse shows are different from real horse shows, model horse trends are different than real horse trends. Some of this is due to differences in materials and construction, but more importantly, some things just look better in one scale than they do in another. The solid pink square pad and matching ear bonnet Lauren referenced is a perfect example. In full scale, that's way too much pink for anyone but Tiffany Purdy. In 1:9 scale, where everything is so much smaller, it's a lot more subtle. Depending on how you feel about pink, it might be just about perfect!

Saturday, August 19, 2017

I worked a lot of hours last week, and the upcoming week doesn't look any better. This makes blogging difficult, so I am even happier than usual to have a good guest post to share today. Thank you, Lauren, for tackling the surprisingly controversial topic of matchy matchy performance entries!

Match-a-Palooza - Does Matching Tack Mimic the Real Showing World?

by Lauren Mauldin

These days, I am potentially the worst kind of model horse enthusiast. My previously crowded shelves are down to three lonely traditionals and a "I really am going to finish him" one day mini resin. I admire the hobby from afar with blogs and Facebook, and occasionally butt my head in on a discussion about performance live showing... which I haven't done in almost ten years.

So yeah, I'm that person.

My minimally matchy jumper entry from 2009, but I'll be the first to admit that this isn't 100% representative of today's jumper ring

While I haven't tacked up a model in forever, I've spent the last six years showing my horse in local hunters, jumpers and equitation.

As I'm watching said horses jump around, I enjoy looking at the tack and colors they're wearing because my inner model performance shower will not die, and I love seeing everything in miniature. While I think a perfectly color coordinated entry looks fantastic in model form, there are situations where it's not the most realistic representation of the real horse world.

My area of expertise is hunter/jumper, so this is where I'll be focusing my thoughts regarding "matchy matchy."

Rated versus Schooling Shows?

Before I get into the individual classes, I want to talk about rated versus schooling shows and how they regard to models.

A schooling or local show is smaller, cheaper and usually closer to home. Think of it like your beloved neighborhood live show where people are super friendly, and you might try out some new setups or horses in a more relaxed, low key environment. This isn't to say that the show has bad competition or is lax, far from it! But it's probably not the one you're traveling across the country to or losing copious amounts of sleep for.Here's a typical local show jumper...

and hunter.

The next level up from schooling shows for hunter/jumpers is rated shows, which come in 4 levels. C, B, A and AA with AA being the largest and most prestigious. AA shows are a big deal. AA shows are your Breyerfests, NAN's and regional championships. They're where people bring out the best of the best.

Here's a typical AA show jumper...

and hunter.

When you setup your model hunter/jumper entry, it would be a good idea to think about (and document!) what kind of show your entry is depicting. If it's local/schooling, there is a lot more leeway with colored tack and attire choices. Those shows tend to bring a larger variety of riders, and are less formal (therefore less colorful). AA shows are top tier, and if you're setting up giant, beautiful jumps with all the fittings -- it might be best if your tack fit the look of a top rated USHJA show.

So what are the "looks" for those top shows regarding color?

Hunters

I'm not going to surprise anyone here by saying that hunter under saddle and hunter over fences classes are a color free zone. I can't think of a performance entry I've seen recently that even pushed the boundaries. In the hunter ring today, the "look" is a black, navy or hunter green coat typically paired with a white shirt, although other light colored pastels are also okay. You'll sometimes see a french blue or maroon coat in the modern hunter ring, but judges typically frown on those and they are better suited for jumper riders.

Fun fact! Your doll doesnot have to wear tan breeches for hunter under saddle and hunter over fences classes. White breeches are allowed in the hunters, and since so many riders show hunters, jumpers and equitation in the same day... they will not change their breeches. It's not hard to find documentation for white breeches + black coat in the jumper ring, which means you can double duty that doll and be 100% accurate.

The jumpers are where it's best to ask yourself, am I setting up a local or rated ring scene? Local jumps are less ornate, with fewer fill (brush, flowers, etc) and simpler standards. Rated jumps are often branded by sponsors, have really interesting standards and look as decorated as physically allowed.

If you have more of a simple jump and want to setup a "local" jumper entry, you can be more liberal with color.

If you're going the rated route, it's best to be conservative.

Boots

The vast majority of jumper boots are black & white, brown, or sometimes solid white. Currently, fleece is out of style but I keep hearing "it's making a comeback" so who knows. If you go very high end (look for custom Equifit D-Teq boots as an example), you can add small accents of color to your horse's jumping boots. This means, color wise, it's super realistic to get away with small piping on leather open fronts but I have never seen solid colored boots or loud colored boots in AA jumpers. Never.

Also, make sure your model is wearing some type of "open front" boot to be the most accurate, because jumpers want the horse to feel the pole with their skin if they hit it. This is why you don't see polo wraps, galloping or other all purpose boots very often in high level jumpers.

Bell Boots

Solid colored bell boots are not seen in the jumper ring at the AA level. I know they're cute, and I know they look really great with the matching saddle pad... but you won't see them on serious competitors. Why? Well in real life, the plastic that those wild colored boots are made of is actually pretty stiff and will rub horses raw. High level jumpers stick to a more gummy plastic which is either black or tan, or they might go for fancier, more technical bell boots which are almost always black.

Saddle Pads

Rule and function wise, there is nothing saying you can't walk into the jumper ring with a solid pink square pad... but people just don't do it. Most pads in the AA jumper ring are solid white, grey or black with colored trim, monograms or a barn logo. You will see the occasional solid "conservative" color, which is usually hunter green, navy or burgundy.

For pros, you'll often see their sponsor's logo embroidered on the pad and the trim colors matching that company's branding.

Where things get a little more interesting are the half pads. A few years ago (and you'll still see a lot of them), Ogilvy half pads became the rage. This is where conservative hunter/jumper folks got their kicks in color wise. You'll see Ogilvy pads in all kinds of color combos with really bright trim accents. Something really popular in the jumper ring is a charcoal half pad, with hot pink trim. So if you're a color person and you want your jumper entry to pop, look around for Ogilvy color combos.

Bonnets

Like saddle pads, there are no rules that say people can't have a solid pink bonnet -- but it's very rare that somebody does. Bonnets do have more color variation than saddle pads though. You'll see solid colors ranging from grey, burgundy, different blues, browns and black. White is rare, but does happen.

Where bonnets shine for jumpers are with their trim. Anything goes here. Bright colors? Yes! Sparkle? Absolutely! If you go conservative base color + bright trim, you're going to be golden for the AA jumper ring.

Rider Coats

Here is some really good news for color lovers -- colored jackets are all the rage in the jumper ring right now. Current popular colors are teal, maroon and bright blues...

but I've seen orange, neon pink. I've seen everything, which means there are no limits for models.

Stirrups

Fancy, colored stirrups are totally in right now. They're also very expensive, so some riders may have one set in their favorite color... and some riders might have six different pairs! These are usually a really pretty metal, metallic look and the most popular colors I've seen are pinks, blues and teals.

But what can match what?

If you're being the most realistic to what you see in the real AA ring, I'd follow this simple rule: Don't match everything.Instead:

Match boot accents to saddle pad, but not coat or bonnet.

Match coat to bonnet trim, but not to saddle pad.

Match bonnet & saddle pad & stirrups, but not the identical color for the coat.

Match coat & stirrups, but not saddle pad & bonnet.

Match bonnet, saddle pad & coat, but use neutral boots.

Here are some examples:

Let's wrap up this matchy matchy manifesto:

At the end of the day, you can do whatever you want, as long as you stay within the rules. And the rules themselves? They're quite liberal... especially for jumpers!

I think it's just a question you ask yourself as a competitor with model horses -- do I want to match what's happening in the real horse world, or make an entry I'm totally giddy about? I can't answer that for you.

Showing, whether real horses or models, should be fun. If you love matchy matchy colors for model horses, do it! Sometimes I want to match my jumper up a little, and I do that too! He has "outfits" for our jumper classes, but they do stay within the conservative norm of our sport.

It's about what makes you happy, and what makes you excited to tack up the horse -- real or fake!